Small spaces and what they can do to you
by Ishty
Summary: How to deal with the loss of control? Middle of Season 7 refers to 6x25, 7x01, 7x02...


**Disclaimer: Don't own anything, except the technician maybe? **

**Spoiler: Since this is set somewhere in the middle of Season 7, it may be good to know Season 6.**

**Summary: How to deal with the loss of control?  
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It was nearly midday and the team around Special Agent L. J. Gibbs was about to head out for a long lunch break when Gibbs' cell phone went off.

"Gibbs," the agent answered gruffly, while his team watched him in anticipation.

They hadn't had a real case for over 2 weeks now and the team was getting rather cranky, being stuck doing cold cases or in Tony's case – overdue paperwork.

"Gear up! Dead Marine in Anacostia Park."

The team-leader finally called as he took his gun and badge. His team did the same and Tony and McGee then hurriedly went over to the elevator.

Only Ziva, who -months ago- would have beat them to it, was trailing behind, her pace rather slow. It was obvious that she had no desire to reach the elevator in time.

This didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the team, who had observed before, that their colleague never seemed to use the elevator since she was back with them after her stint in Somalia.

She rode with the team only once or twice when her excuses remained unheard and even then she was acting very jittery.

McGee and Tony were about to hold the double door open, when they saw Gibbs waving at them to go on without Ziva or him.

As the door closed a few meters in front of her, Ziva was glad, as it permitted her to use the stairs without having to make up excuses. Unfortunately for her, Gibbs had been hanging back also.

"Ziver," Gibbs called as he stood in front of the elevator, motioning her with his hand to come over to him.

"Yes Gibbs?" The Israeli replied, giving him a fake smile as she reluctantly let go of the staircase door.

"You don't have to use the stairs every time." He calmly told her, causing her to look away from his piercing gaze for a second.

"I can use the exercise, yes?" tried Ziva, meeting her boss' eyes again.

"I know that you are perfectly healthy and in no need for extra exercise," the agent replied, as he pressed the button to call the car back up.

Ziva just stood there, contemplating a good reply, _"Why will no good answer come to me? Maybe I should keep to the truth? Keep? No... What was the word... Stick! Yes!"_

Meanwhile the elevator door had slid open. Gibbs being Gibbs gently pushed her into the small car, his hand still resting on the small of her back as the doors closed behind them.

Only then she snapped out of her musings. Her eyes grew wide as she realized where she was.

"Gibbs..."

"Nothing is going to happen," stated Gibbs calmly from beside her.

"But what if it breaks?"

"Won't break."

"Gibbs."

"I know you don't like to be confined, having no control over what happens," said the older agent gently, remembering her dislike of being just a passenger during car rides.

On their first case after her return, she had been so pale and shaky when they reached the crime scene that Gibbs was forced to order her to wait in the car and rest while they worked.

It wasn't that she didn't trust them but while her heart told her that nothing would happen, her mind had a completely different opinion. Only time and letting her drive more often than not in the first few weeks had helped her overcome the fear of not being in complete control 24/7.

"WHEN it breaks, the safety will keep it from falling and technicians will make short work on getting you out of there as soon as possible," continued Gibbs, "BUT no one's gonna hurt you in here. And it won't break!"

"What about gas," muttered Ziva

"What?"

"I watched this movie with Tony. Some kidnappers made the elevator stop and then let gas stream in, in order to knock the person in it unconscious," explained the Israeli quietly.

Gibbs shook his head. On one side he was glad that his agents got along again and watched movies together but did Tony need to pick out such a movie?

"Do you really think that someone would use that method to get to you?" asked the gray-haired agent as he raised his left eyebrow, turning around to look at her.

"No."

"Good," replied Gibbs curtly as they reached the lower floor, which led them to the waiting cars.

* * *

When they arrived back at NCIS headquarters they saw elevator technicians standing in the evidence garage.

"Did the elevator finally broke?" Tony asked one of the technicians jokingly.

"No, a Special Agent Gibbs reported problems with it so we checked it out," said the middle-aged man in front of him.

"Was there a problem? I mean theoretically, if someone uses the power switch too often, to shut the elevator down, could it break?" questioned a curious McGee, unaware that his boss and Ziva were now standing just behind him, having caught up with them after they parked the cars.

"Everything is working perfectly. I don't see a problem with the switch being used often. If it would hurt the system, it wouldn't be there." The technician told them.

Gibbs looked at his female team member, who rewarded him with a grateful smile. He slightly shrugged at her, hearing the technician's words and an unspoken agreement not to talk about the subject again was made.

As they made their way back to their desks, they all got into the elevator this time. Whoever thought that Gibbs had forgotten about McGee's question though, was wrong.

"Ziva," motioned Gibbs.

**'whack'**

"What was that for," asked a perplexed McGee.

"Never question the boss' way, Probie-wan-Kenobi," smirked Tony, squeezing Ziva's hand briefly. Of course he had noticed what their boss had done for his partner.

* * *

With time it became easier for the Israeli to use the elevator, even if she only used it by herself.

The fact that a certain gray-haired agent called the technicians under false name every 2 weeks, to have the elevator checked, might have had something to do with it.

However, the smirk on Gibbs' face as the Director got calls from the finance department about high bills for elevator check ups, made people believe that the agent had ulterior motives.

A shouting match with the Director, in which Vance accused Gibbs of breaking the elevator with his constant meetings, ended with Gibbs running around with a smile for a week....

Especially, because the attendant technician confirmed that the 'switch' couldn't be the problem and suggested they renew most of the elevator instead.

So they did, but the calls about problems didn't stop for another few months...

**~Fin~**

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**A/N: After reading a German NCIS-Elevator-Fic and then another English one, I just needed to write this, regarding the Somalia storyline. Hope you like it?!**

**Please Review !! **

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_Muse came back to play... just not for "Changing Worlds" *sorry guys* _**


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